Chiron Duong

It was 2021 when I realized I was ready to pursue a career in art photography. Prior to that, I was still torn between landscape architecture and photography. I didn’t really know what I was looking for and who I was until then.

In the years before I decided to study this, I thought I had a gift for drawing and I just knew that I could study architecture. I was born and raised in a rural area, however, and at that time, contemporary art forms were not something you were really exposed to. So my family did not approve of me studying an art form. I understood their anxiety, so I chose landscape architecture to balance out my aptitude for drawing and my family’s dreams. But I also chose landscape architecture because I thought it would be great to learn about plants and also to be creative with them. Plants and flowers in particular evoke a certain softness and dreaminess that inspires me to this day.

There are many similarities. The first in the ability to create spatial emotions by color, material, shapes, depth of field and composition. The second is the ability to link images together to create an experience for the viewer. But there are also parallels to how you approach both disciplines, particularly when it comes to the research phase. In both cases, you have to take the social context into consideration. I have always always been interested in the connection between the natural and the human, the rural and the urban – which transpires in both disciplines. In my work I apply the landscape architect’s way of thinking to finding the subject and implementing a photography idea. Both require keen observation, contemplation, and judgment.

It is up-and-coming and dynamic, and young people like myself are eager to leave an imprint. The population composition here is diverse – creating a plethora of lifestyles, professions and colors. It is, however, still very much in development, so in terms of artistic infrastructure and support, there is still a lot to be gained. But in terms of openness and creativity, this is the place that gives me a lot of motivation. While I do try to extend my network globally as much as I can, I also enjoy collaborating with local creatives. For the past few projects, which were more community-focussed, I worked with local artists and graphic designers, for example on heritage promotion and planting mangroves.

In my research, I get inspired by the huge variety of landscapes the East harbors, and how these affect the color palette and aesthetics of the region. For example, Vietnam with its hot and sunny climate and tropical trees brings about a vibrancy in colors, whereas Japan, known for its falling blossom petals, is more muted, and China with its majestic landscape creates a sense of immensity. I believe these landscapes have brought about their own philosophies and emotions that I try to capture. Complemented by Western techniques, I create a combined feel and aesthetic.

Flowers have a lot of symbolic meaning, particularly in Vietnam, so I like to play around with them in my photography. On the one hand, they can be an expression of tenderness and romance, but on the other hand they can sacrifice, hopelessness and separation. Take chrysanthemums for example, which have a noble quality, but also impermanence, coming down like rain when the petals fall. Lotus flowers represent simplicity and delicacy, but at the same time they evoke the fragility of a woman. I like to imbue my photography with these ambiguous meanings.

Portrait Of Áo Dài. For me it’s not just a project about traditional Vietnamese dresses, but above all it provides me with the opportunity to get to know myself deeply and connect with others. In my early years of photography, I struggled because I thought I was too young to be immersed in traditional culture. But that changed when I received an award in France for my photography, prompting international journalists to ask me something which has haunted me ever since: “Does Vietnamese traditional culture influence your style?” This question really kickstarted the project, and made me embark on a journey of appreciating my origin and of bridging the gap between tradition and the modern world. With this project I want to tackle some prejudices Vietnamese artists, and people in general, have had to deal with: that Vietnam is all about wars. No, wars have ended. And yet, many still think of Vietnam as a miserable country injured by wars and its lingering shadows. I am of a young generation born in a period of peace in the country. I see how Vietnam develops every day in so many different ways, so I need to create to let the world know how beautiful my country is. This project is therefore my message and my pride as a child of Vietnam.

text: Rolien Zonneveld